Angle disk roller



ANGLE msx ROLLER 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 3, 1941 m MM..

May 4, 1943.

w. C. MacGREGoR ANGLE DISK ROLLER 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l INVENTOR. yl/ZZZZQC@ Mao' Gre( @7 Patented May 4, 1943 NT GFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a selfpropelled machine for road, farm, and general land smoothing operation having a plurality of rotatable disks disposed on a transverse angular shaft, but rotatable in parallel planes extending longitudinally of the direction of travel of the machine.

An important object of the invention is in the provision of a plurality of smoothing disks mounted upon an angularly transverse or oblique shaft with the disks disposed on the shaft to extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of driving means for engaging a plurality of disks mounted obliquely but driven parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a self-propelled vehicle having front and rear drives, the front drive being turnable for steering, and the rear drive comprising a plurality of parallel but laterally offset disks arranged to rotate upon a shaft extending at an angle to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a rotatable mounting for a disk upon a shaft at an angle to the direction of rotation of the disk.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the specification and Will be apparent Fig 2 is a plan view with parts broken away f and in section of the roller shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the angle disk mounting; and

Fig. 4 is a side View of one of the disks and its angular mounting.

In operating a road roller or a machine for smoothing the surface of the ground or other material, the provision of a cylindrical roller eX- tending at right angles across a supporting frame does not have a maximum leveling or smoothing eiiect, because it rides directly transverse or normally to the movement of the frame and causes a corresponding movement thereof. If this cylinder is divided into a plurality of parallel disks, which are separately driven, they will have a greater leveling effect, and if the disks are located at an angle to the direction of movement of the machine itself, the smoothing effect of the disks is greatly increased. The present invention relates to the provision of a plurality of (Cl. Sli-50) similar disks arranged in offset or overlapping parallel relation to each `other upon an axis which may be as much as 30 degrees inclined transversely of the side frames, but in which the disks are separately driven from opposite sides thereof parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine, and each of the disks is mounted for separate free rotation, although they are intended to have common driving means and to be rotated in unison.

Referring new more particularly to the drawings, a supporting frame 6, generally rectangular, is formed of channel-shaped or other suitable structural beams with a circular channeled frame 'l inserted at the front. In this circular frame, a turnable steering support is mounted, comprising a pair of opposite blocks 8 seated in the interior channel of the frame 'l and cross connected by a rigid bar 9. A'shaft or axle I0 is mounted at its ends in the blocks 8 and carries driving cylinders or supporting traction rollers II which are attached to and rotatable with the shaft Ill. A driving gear I2 is mounted on the shaft between the rollers, and a worm gear I3 meshes therewith for driving the rollers. The worm gear is mounted upon a shaft I4 which is located at the center of the circular frame 'I so that the entire assembly consisting of the blocks 8, the cross bar 9, and the rollers Il may be rotated in either direction in the frame for steering.

To eifect Vrotation of the steering rollers II, a bracket I5 is attached to the cross bar 9, a link I6 is connected at one end to the bracket, and at the other end to an arm il at the end of a shaft I8, having` a beveled gear IS at its upper end meshing with a beveled gear 5 at one end of a steering post 4 which has a steering wheel 3 at the other end for rotating it. By turning the wheel in one direction or the other, the steering rollers Il are inclined in a corresponding direction in the frame 'I to effect a steering movement of the machine.

The angle disk construction is mounted near one end, usually the rear, of the frame 6, by'

means of upright shafts or angle bearing supports 20 (see Fig. 3) secured to the sides of the opposite side frames and each having an inclined opening 2l for receiving the end of a shaft or bar 22 which is therefore set at a xed angle transversely of the frame. Disposed upon the bar fitting close together to entirely ll the space between the bearing supports 20 are a plurality of bearing members 23, each having an angular bore or' hol-e 2li extending centrally therethrough upon the same angle that the bar 22 is mounted in the frame. The outer surface of the mounting 23 is circular and is less in diameter than the surface of the bearings in contact therewith so that the bearing members 23 are more firmly in position along the bar 22. A roller. disc 25 is rotatably mounted on each of the bearing members 23, all of the rollers being the same size and overlapping each other the same amount, and of a width or thickness the same as the mountings 23 so that the rollers are also firmly mounted upon the bearing members and are retained in relative position by them and the end bearing members 20 which are engaged by them. Each roller 25 is therefore separately mounted upon its bearing but ts closely with respect to the adjacent roller so that no dirt or other foreign material-is likely to pass between the rollers or the bearings.

To rotate the rollers 25, a pair of contact rolls 26 are mounted one at each side of the assembled rollers, each driving roll being mounted upon end arms 21 pivoted above the rollers 25 upon a cross-shaft 28 substantially overlying the bar 22, the cross-shaft being mounted at its ends y.

in bearing supports 29 secured to the opposite sides of the supporting frames 6. The arms 21 are loosely connected to the shaft 28 which is connected to each of the drive rollers by a driving sprocket and chain connection 30 which extends to a shaft 3| upon which each of the rolls is mounted. Preferably the outer portion or surface of each roll has a suitable fibrous rubber or composition coating which engages the opposite angular edges of the discs for rotating them. The rolls are maintained in contact with the roller disks 25 by springs 32 connected between the adjacent arms 21 of opposite rollers at the ends thereof.

The cross-shaft 28 is driven in any suitable manner, as by a gear 33 and pinion 34 connection with a drive-shaft 35. The drive-shaft is rotated in either direction by a driving chain connection 35 with an engine 31 of the automotive type having a transmission gearing in a gear case 38 operated by a shift lever 39 and having a cooling radiator 40 and an air circulating fan 4I.

This engine is mounted or supported upon a frame or platform 4| raised above the frame 6 and held rigidly in place by supports 42, 43 xed therebetween. An operator or attendant may ride upon the platform where the steering wheel 3, the motor 31 and its controls are closely adjacent.

Near the engine driving connection, the shaft 35 may be supported by a bearing brace 44 extending from and secured to the platform. 4I. At its other end, the shaft is supported by a hollow casing for receiving the upper end of pinion shaft I4, the casing being xed to the platform 4I at the bottom, and having a cap 46 at the top enclosing meshing bevel gears 41 and 48 secured to shafts I4 and 35V respectively. 4Bevel gears 33 and 34 at the other end of the ldrive shaft may also be enclosed by a casing 49.

in turning the steering rollers II, it is necessary also to turn the gears I2 and I3 with the rollers H and if these gears are enclosed in the casing 50, the casing must also turn with the gears and relatively to the shaft supporting casing 45. For this purpose, the two casings are formed with relatively telescoping portions 5I and 52 which extend one within the other b-elow the attachment of the upper casing to the plat- Liri) form 4I, the telescoping portions being concentric with the axis of the shaft I4 so that they rotate freely upon the fixed casing extension 52 when the front supporting rollers II are turned in either direction for steering.

With this construction, the same motor will drive the steering rollers II, and also the angle drive rollers 25. If desired, either the front or the back rollers could be connected to the driving shaft by separate clutch connections without involving invention and which are not shown. 'I'he driving rollers both front and back are shown with smooth surfaces but they may be either grooved or ribbed to provide a better traction Without materially affecting the operation of the machine in general or the driving rolls 26 in particular. By maintaining a rm but resilient contact of the driving rolls with the rollers 25, each of these rolls is engaged both at the front and at the back and a leveling rotation of the rollers 25 is insured.

I claim:

1. An angle-drive road roller having a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted in parallel planes lengthwise of the frame and upon a common axis obliquely transverse of the frame, and common driving means separately engaging the outer edges of the rollers to rotate them.

2. In an angle drive roller machine, a frame, a plurality of rollers separately mounted upon a common axis extending obliquely transverse of the frame, the rollers being rotatable at an angle to said axis, and front and rear driving means each commonly engaging the edges of the rollers at the front and rear thereof for rotating them.

3. In an angle drive roller machine, a frame, a plurality of rollers,` a common axis for the rollers extending obliquely transverse of the frame with the rollers separately mounted at an angle thereto so that the rollers overlap at front and rear, and a common driving means also extending obliquely transverse of the frame and eng-aging the edges of the overlapping portions of the rollers to rotate them.

4. A road or surface roller, comprising a frame, a plurality of parallel rollers mounted upon a common shaft extending obliquely transverse of the frame, the rollers extending and rotatable in planes lengthwise of the frame and each overlapping the next roller, a common rotatable means engaging the projecting edges of all of the rollers to drive them, traction steering roller means at one end of the frame, and common driving means for the oblique and steering rollers.

5. In a roller drive machine, a frame having a circular portion at one end, a traction steering roller mounted to turn for steering in the circular portion about a connected drive shaft extending upwardly therefrom, an angle drive cornprising a 4plurality of rollers having a common axis extending obliquely transverse of the frame, the angle drive rollers being at an angle to the axis, `parallel to each other, and overlapping longitudinally of the frame, a pressure drive roll extending obliquelyto resiliently eng-age the edges of the overlapping rollers for rotating them, and driving means extending to said drive shaft and to said roll for operating them at the same time.

6. In a roller drive machine, a plurality of rollers mounted at an angle for separate rotation upon an obliquely transverse axis and overlapping at front and rear, driving rolls to engage the overlapping portions at opposite sides of the rollers, Iarms ron which the rolls are mounted, a common driven shaft parallel to said axis upon which the arms are pivoted, driving ineensv extending from the shaft to each roll, and 'resilient means for drawing the rolls together against opposite portions of the rollers.

7. In a roller drive machine, a frame, an-angle drive thereon adjacent one end comprising a plurality of parallel rollers extending lengthwise of the frame but mounted for separate rotation on an -axis obliquely transverse to the frame and in overlapping relation to each other, drive rolls engaging the rollers to rotate them, pressure means for applying the rolls to engage the separate rollers, steering traction rollers adjacent the other end of the frame, a circular frame portion in which the traction rollers are rotatable about a vertical axis for steering, a drive shaft extending along said vertical axis and connected to the traction rollers for positively rotating them, means for rotatingr the steering rollers about said axis for steering, a common drive means lconnected to the vertical drive shaft and to said drive rolls for actuating the machine from both ends of the frame.

8. In a roller drive machine, a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted for separate rotation at an angle upon an axis obliquely transverse to the frame at the rear thereof, pressure drivingimefans for separately engaging each roller, a pair of tractive steering rollers at the front of the frame, a circular frame portion and means for mounting the steering rollers to turn about a vertical axis therein for steering, a drive shaft located upon the said vertical `axis and having worm and pinion ldrives with the steering rollers, and means for mounting the worm andv pinion drive to rotate with the rollers in their steering movement.

9. In a roller drive machine, a frame, aplurality of rollers mounted for separate rotation upon an axis obliquely transverse to theY frame at one end thereof, common pressure driving means for separately engaging each of the rollers, steering rollers at the other end of the frame, a circular frame portion in which the steering rollers are mounted about a central vertical axis for steering, a driving shaft located upon the said vertical axis, a worm and pinion drive between the shaft and the steering rollers, a c-asing for the shaft and said drive, the lower portion of the casing being rotatable with the steering rollers in their steering movement, the upper portion of the casing being xed to the frame and power means connected to the upper end of the shaft for rotating it.

10. In a roller drive machine, a frame having a circular portion at one end and an operating platform placed above the frame, a plurality of driving rollers separately mounted upon the axis obliquely transverse to the frame at the other end having a common pressure driving member which engages each roller, a pair of steering rollers spaced apart at the :center and having a common shaft for rotating them in the circular portion of the frame about a central axis for steering, a driving shaft located upon the vertical axis and extending upwardly through the platform, la driving connection between said shaft and the roller shaft, a two part casing, one portion enclosing the upper end of the shaft and `secured to the platform but extending below it,

WALLACE C. MACGREGOR. 

